As a conventional electronic component, for example, a multilayer inductance element disclosed by Japanese Patent No. 4,307,822 is known. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a laminated body 502 of the multilayer inductance element 500. FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the multilayer inductance element 500.
The multilayer inductance element 500 comprises a laminated body 502, a conductor pattern 504 and external electrodes (not shown). The laminated body 502 is formed by stacking a plurality of ferrite sheets 506 and a non-magnetic ceramic layer 507, and is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In the following paragraphs, surfaces of the laminated body 502 that are located at both ends with respect to the lengthwise direction of the laminated body 502 when viewed from the stacking direction are referred to as end surfaces, and surfaces of the laminated body 502 that are located at both ends with respect to the widthwise direction of the laminated body 502 when viewed from the stacking direction are referred to as side surfaces. A surface of the laminated body 502 that is located at the top in the stacking direction is referred to as a top surface, and a surface of the laminated body 502 that is located at the bottom in the stacking direction is referred to as a bottom surface.
The conductor pattern 504 is provided in the laminated body 502 and extends linearly to connect the end surfaces of the laminated body 502. The conductor pattern 504 forms a coil. The two external electrodes (not shown) are covered respectively on the both end surfaces and are physically connected respectively to the both ends of the conductor pattern 504.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the thus structured laminated inductance element 500, taken perpendicularly to the extending direction of the conductor pattern 504. Specifically, the non-magnetic ceramic layer 507 is arranged on both sides of the conductor pattern 504. Magnetic fluxes are difficult to pass through the non-magnetic ceramic layer 507 and therefore leak out through the side surfaces of the laminated body 502. Thereby, magnetic saturation in the laminated body 502 due to heavy concentration of magnetic fluxes can be prevented.